This invention relates to a easily drillable packer for use in testing, treating and squeeze cementing operations in wells.
Production type packers are well known for use in not only producing a well but, also, for use in the testing and the treating of a well. Due to service requirements production packers are typically made of materials to resist erosion and corrision, such as steel, which only allows them to be milled for removal from the well. Typically, production packers may be set in wells by the use of wireline explosive setting tools releasably secured to the packer. Alternately, production packers may also be set by using hydraulically operable or mechanical rotation types of setting tools used in conjunction with tubing.
Production packers also typically may be adapted to be used as bridge plugs, testing tools, and tubing anchors to facilitate various operations to be performed in the Well.
Once such production packer in the prior art is the Otis Perma-Drill.RTM. production packer as sold by the Otis Engineering Corporation and described on pages 50 through 63 of the General Sales Catalog.
However, prior art production packers either are not drillable with conventional drilling equipment and using conventional drilling practices as they are usually constructed of steel and are not constructed of cast iron, brass, aluminum alloy, and elastomeric material or may not be easily converted into various types of bridge plugs, testing tools or cementing tools.
Other types of permanent packers in the prior art, which are not production packers, are constructed of easily drillable materials such as cast iron, brass, and elastomeric material. However such permanent packers are not easily converted into use as testing and treating packers. Also, such permanent packers have limited flow areas therethrough, in contrast to the large flow areas of production packers, which prohibit their use as a production packer and prohibit the passage of casing type perforating guns and through tubing tools from being conveyed therethrough. In general, these types of permanent packers may be set using wireline explosive setting tools or using hydraulically operable or mechanical rotation types of setting tools used in conjunction with tubing.
Once such permanent packer in the prior art is the EZ Drill.RTM. packer as sold by Halliburton Services Division of Halliburton Company and described on pages 2561 of the Number 43 Sales and Service Catalog of Halliburton Services.